Shin Ha-eun

Shin initially dreamed of becoming a poet and pursued her passion by studying Korean Literature in college. After graduation, she continued her studies in modern poetry in graduate school. However, when her graduate advisor retired and she found herself in a temporary hiatus, Shin began to dream of becoming a drama writer. She then enrolled in a writer's education institute to pursue this new career path.[4]

Specifically, Shin studied writing at The Broadcasting Writers Education Center in Seoul, which was founded in 1988 by the Korea Television and Radio Writers Association (KTRWA).[lower-alpha 1] Currently, Shin is a member of KTRWA and works as a television screenwriter. Her name and her copyrighted work can be found in the KTRWA online database.[7]

In 2017, Shin was selected as one of the O'PEN writers.[lower-alpha 2] These writers were recruited through an open call that took place between January and March of that year. During the two-month contest period, approximately 3,700 aspiring writers submitted scripts for dramas or films, which were then judged by dozens of industry officials in two to three rounds. Ultimately, the jury selected 35 new writers, including 20 new drama writers and 15 new movie writers. Among them was Shin, who was recognized for her exceptional writing talent and potential.[9]

Just two months after winning O'PEN, Shin received a 'love call' from Lee Yoon-jeong, who personally invited her to be part of the writing team for her next drama.[11] Shin co-authored tvN Argon[12][13] with Joon Young-shin and Joo Won-gyu. Directed by Lee Yoon-jeong, this eight-episode mini-series focused on Team Argon, an investigative television program that strives to pursue the truth. It depicts the dynamic between Kim Baek-jin (played by Kim Joo-hyuk), a perfectionist news anchor, reporter, and leader of Argon, and Lee Yeon-hwa (played by Chun Woo-hee), a temporary employee who dreams of becoming a reporter.[12][13]

Argon aired on the cable channel tvN every Monday and Tuesday at 22:50 (KST) from September 4 to 26, 2017. The drama received positive reviews for its intelligent writing, strong performances, and realistic portrayal of the media industry. Shin's contribution to the writing team was widely praised, and it further cemented her reputation as a talented and promising screenwriter.[14]

In November 2017, tvN announced that Shin Eun-soo and Lee Jae-won have confirmed their appearances as the female and male protagonists of for Shin's one-act drama's Anthology (Collection of Poem).[15][16][17] In this project, Shin reunite with director of Argon Lee Yoon-jeong.[18][19] Broadcast in January 6, Anthology was part six of ten episodes of 2018 tvN Drama Stage.[lower-alpha 3]

CJ E&M announced in April 2018 that their first four 2017 O'PEN writers had recently signed a writing contract with a leading domestic drama production company. One of them was Shin Ha-eun, who signed a contract with Studio Dragon to write a mini-series from 16 episodes to a maximum of 32 episodes. This marked her full-fledged debut as a drama writer.[21]

In November 2019, CJ E&M announced that three of their 2017 O'PEN graduated writers will enter the industry by co-authoring drama series scheduled to be aired on terrestrial and cable television. With senior writer Kim Seon-deok, Shin Ha-eun co-authored tvN drama The Crowned Clown.[22][23][24] This sixteen episodes historical drama was a remake of the 2012 film Masquerade. The series centers on the tale of a Joseon King and his doppelganger, a clown whom he puts on the throne to escape the intense power struggles afflicting the royal court.[25][26]

Shin Ha-eun first project as main writer was a 2021 remake of movie Mr. Handy, Mr. Hong (2004). The series, was first announced on December 21, 2020, under the working title of Hong Ban-jang (홍반장) with Kim Seon-ho and Shin Min-a being offered the lead roles.[27] Final English working title was decided as Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha,[28][29] matching the drama storyline of a love story between a realist dentist Yoon Hye-jin (Shin Min-a) and an all-rounder, Hong Banjang (Kim Seon-ho) in his hometown Gongjin. It was premiered in August 2021 in cable channel tvN at 21:00 (KST) and followed one hour later in Netflix streaming platform.

Promoted as healing romance drama, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha received favorable reviews from domestic and foreign viewers.[31][32] It entered the list of the highest-rated series on cable television history.[33][34] It ranked first place during its entire run for eight weeks, and the last episode achieved 12.665% nationwide rating, with over 3.2 million views.[35]

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha became one of Netflix's most-watched non-English television shows. According to FlixPatrol,[lower-alpha 4] the series placed number 8th on its global chart. It also became one of Netflix's most-watched non-English television shows, and one of its longest-running hits as it spent 16 weeks in global top ten ranking in more than 20 countries.[37][38][39] It also remained on Netflix's Top 10 Chart for television shows for more than two months from its last episode.[40][41]

On December 21, 2020, the Kim Soo-hyun Drama Art Hall, operated by the Cheongju City Culture Industry Promotion Foundation, selected Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha as the '2021 Good Drama of the Year'. The certificate of award listed the names of the main cast as well as Shin Ha-eun as the writer and Yoo Je-won as the director. The drama was chosen by both a viewer evaluation team and an expert group and was praised as a 'K-healing drama' that appeared at a time when sensational genre content was prevalent. It was loved by both domestic and foreign audiences.[43][44]

On February 15, 2022, CJ ENM announced that it had signed an audio content partnership agreement with 'Willa'. As the first project, the contents of 23 storytellers from O'PEN will be produced as an audio drama and sequentially presented through Willa starting in June 2022. Among the works selected to be produced as audio dramas is Shin's Anthology which was originally broadcast in 2018.[45]

As a result of the success of Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha as a representative hallyu content, Shin was invited to give a special lecture on December 8, 2022, at the Korea Arts Center (KAC), hosted by the Broadcasting Writer and Creative Art Department. During the lecture, Shin shared practical tips on creating materials for dramas, such as selecting materials that are advantageous for production, creating compelling characters, and emphasizing the importance of the first scene. She also provided attendees with a variety of information on becoming a drama writer, including the reasons and opportunities for pursuing this career path. The lecture was well-received by attendees, who appreciated Shin's insights and expertise in the field of screenwriting. The event further solidified Shin's reputation as a respected and influential figure in the Korean drama industry.[46]

On December 14, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, led by Minister Park Bo-gyun, in collaboration with the Korea Creative Content Agency, directed by Director Cho Hyun-rae, held the '2022 Korea Content Awards Ceremony' at COEX to recognize outstanding content officials and excellent content that contributed to making Korea shine in the global content industry. At the 14th edition of the Korea Contents Awards Ceremony, 36 awards were presented to works and individuals who have made significant contributions to the Korean content industry and provided emotional and joyful experiences to audiences. Shin was among the recipients, receiving the Minister's Commendation for her contribution to the development of the broadcasting and video industry through Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha.

The awarding body recognized Shin's potential as a talented screenwriter for her portrayal of the conflict, love, and growth of various characters in a small fishing village in of Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha. The drama received overwhelming support from the Asian region through Netflix and consistently ranked among the global top 10 during its airing. Additionally, the drama contributed to revitalizing the local economy, with the main location of Pohang becoming a beloved tourist destination. Shin's recognition at the awards ceremony further cemented her status as a respected and influential figure in the Korean content industry, and her work on of Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha was acknowledged as a significant contribution to the growth and development of the industry as a whole.[47][48]